Advancing Knowledge Sharing and Learning Exchanges Across the Coral Triangle

Coral Triangle Center (CTC) recently took part in three regional gatherings that reinforced its role in advancing marine conservation, capacity building, and knowledge exchange across the Coral Triangle.

CTC joined the Melanesian Ocean Summit, held May 11 to 15, 2026, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), which brought together regional stakeholders to advance ocean conservation and sustainable marine management across the Bismarck Solomon Seas (BSS) eco-region. CTC attended the plenary sessions and participated in discussions on regional collaboration, capacity development, and marine governance. CTC also attended a side event focused on marine conservation in the BSS, which featured several important milestones, including the signing of PNG’s Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) National Plan of Action 2.0, a roadmap for implementing PNG’s marine conservation commitments on the ground. CTC, through Regional Learning and Training Coordinator W.R. Tjahjahdi Kanou, also presented the CTI-CFF Capacity Building Repository, a regional platform for knowledge sharing, training resources, and practitioner networks, and invited interested parties to contribute resources to the platform.

From May 18 to 22, CTC joined marine protected area (MPA) managers from the six Coral Triangle countries in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, for the 12th CTI-CFF MPA Regional Exchange and Technical Working Group Meeting, themed “Road Towards 2030: Resilient & Effective MPAs in the Coral Triangle Region.” CTC participated in discussions on strengthening MPA governance and improving MPA effectiveness assessment and data collection tools. During the event, CTC helped facilitate the establishment of a new MPA Managers Network in collaboration with WWF, which now has 11 pioneer members committed to expanding its membership further. Marthen Welly, CTC Senior Marine Conservation Adviser, presented CTC’s regional capacity building programs under the SOMACORE and COAST UK initiatives.

That same week, CTC joined the Plastic Smart Island Regional Learning Exchange in Berau, East Kalimantan, hosted by WWF and attended by participants from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia. The exchange facilitated discussions on best practices in island waste management. CTC’s Banda Islands Community Development Officer, Ahmad Muzakkir, presented success stories on community-based waste management in the Banda Islands, alongside CTC champions from Tanah Rata Village and the Raudhatul Jannah Women’s Group on Ay Island.

Together, these engagements reflect CTC’s continued commitment to strengthening regional collaboration and shared learning across the Coral Triangle.

Photos: Kanoe Tjahjadi/CTC